Baden-Württemberg: Leader in research spending with 36 billion euros!

Baden-Württemberg: Leader in research spending with 36 billion euros!

Baden-Württemberg continues to top the list of German states in terms of research and development (R&D) spending. In 2023, the country invested around 36.1 billion euros in this area, representing a nominal increase of around 5.7 billion euros or 19% compared to 2021. The State Statistical Office emphasizes this in a current communication, which points out the important role of the state in the national R&D sector. Contribution to national R&D strength is enormous, as Baden-Württemberg accounts for more than a quarter of all research and development expenditure in Germany.

An upward trend can also be seen in employment. Around 29,000 new jobs were created in research and development, bringing the total number of employees in this sector to 213,000. This corresponds to an increase of around 16% since 2021, so that Baden-Württemberg represents over 824,000 full-time equivalents in the nationwide R&D sector. These developments underline the dynamic economic activity in the country.

Research as a driver of the economy

R&D intensity, which measures the share of spending on research in gross domestic product (GDP), is also notable. In Baden-Württemberg this share is 5.7%, which represents a slight increase compared to 2021. A comparison to the national average of 3.2% shows the great importance of research for the country's economic development. With a gap of 2.2 percentage points, Baden-Württemberg has the highest research intensity of all federal states.

The country has also reached an agreement on a financing package for universities. 23 billion euros will be made available over five years to create 100 new professorships and thus strengthen the academic sector. This was formulated, among other things, in response to protests from students who expressed concerns about possible cuts in teaching. The financial support is seen as a crucial step to further promote innovation and academic excellence in Baden-Württemberg.

Comparison with other federal states

Compared to other federal states, it can be seen that Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria recorded the largest nominal increase in R&D spending in the period from 2021 to 2023. While spending in Bavaria increased by around 3.8 billion euros to 26.4 billion euros, Baden-Württemberg accounted for around 27% of Germany-wide R&D activities. A total of around 132.0 billion euros were invested in research and development for all of Germany in 2023, which reflects the increasing prioritization of innovation and technology in the national economic strategy.

These positive developments in Baden-Württemberg are an indicator of the state's excellent position in the area of ​​research and development and lay the foundation for future innovations and economic growth. Further data on the government and higher education sectors are collected annually, while the business sector is analyzed every two years.

For further information about investments in research and development in Baden-Württemberg, see the reports SWR and Statistics BW be consulted.